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I am a card carrying member of the winter blues club; otherwise known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). How’s that for an uplifting opening sentence? After years of battling it, I’ve come up with some strategies that work for me, as well as a new approach to it this year.

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?  It’s a form of depression that happens around the same time each year, usually the colder greyer months, and it can affect your sleep, mood, appetite and energy levels.  These effects can in turn affect your relationships, work or school and social life (haha on that last one during the pandemic!).  This acutely affects around 1-2% of the general population and around 10-20% of the population experience milder symptoms.  The numbers go up for those already managing underlying mental health issues, and if you’re a woman- your odds increase as well- hooray!

I’ve got a couple things working against me.  A pre-existing mental health condition (anxiety and depression), and I’ve got lady parts.  Bummer.  I have gone to battle with SAD in winters past and always ended up feeling like I lost.  My stellar approach has been to apply the same standards to Winter Steph as I do to Summer Steph, which is a recipe for disappointment and a feeling of failure every time.

While doing my morning pages (stream of consciousness writing) last week, I began to see an understanding unfold.  As I wrote, it became so clear that “Summer Steph” is action Steph and “Winter Steph” can be something a little different.  I don’t have to be this optimized, running on all cylinders version of myself.  I can take a step back and become more reflective and more planful.  Once I came to that realization, I was able to breath a little easier and accept this version of myself more openly. 

I’m a big believer in mindset shift being paramount to living more comfortably in your own skin, and I also believe there are things you can do to support that mindset.  Following are a few strategies and products that work well for me. I am by no means doing this perfectly, but I’ll take progress over perfection.

Meditation / I have really leaned into meditation this year, and I find myself craving it during these winter months.  I will typically choose a shorter 10-20 minute guided meditation from the Calm App or a Sarah Blondin meditation, and will start my day with it if I don’t have my kids or do it mid-day to feel more aligned.

Journaling + Morning Pages / I like to journal at night when I’m having some more complex thoughts I want to get down, and I prefer morning pages when I am feeling especially stuck or low on energy.  Writing is cathartic for me, and I’m able to reap the benefits of a bird’s eye view when I get too in my head about something.  I have a couple of different journals I write in, but I am particularly fond of Moleskin notebooks or Rifle Paper Co if I am leaning into my feminine side. 

Full Spectrum Light / I have used these in the past to great effect, so I am trying a new one this year that is small enough to fit on my desk.  I find that blasting myself with the light for 15-20 minutes in the morning is like a shot of espresso without the shakes afterward.

Exercise / My body feels its best when I get 15-20 minutes of aerobic exercise in each day.  I can sit here and pretend that I do more than that, but I am no one’s fitness guru.  Just that short amount of time does wonders for me.

Eating Well + Supplements / I’ve gone vegan for January in a quest to boost my energy level, but I am also working on listening to my body and feeding those needs outside of a specific diet.  I will absolutely smash a bag of potato chips in one sitting, but I am also hearing loud and clear when my body needs me to get back in balance.  That means grabbing some raw veg and downing smoothies with all the fresh things.  I take a few supplements as well including Vitamin D 5000 IU, Cod Liver Oil, Iron and B-12 with folate.  After years of experimenting with supplements and vitamins, I have finally found my dream team.

Coziness / While my preferred choice of clothing is a t-shirt, undies and bare feet, that just doesn’t work in the winter, so I lean way into the coziest things.  I am a coziness junkie.  I have a large blanket collection, I wear ultra-cozy socks all winter and I work at my desk with a heating pad under my ass like I am 90.  The word cozy comes out of my mouth about as often as I curse, which is frequent and probably excessive.

Winter Steph is never going to look exactly like Summer Steph, but I can’t love one without loving the other. Until I realize my dream of moving back to California where I spent five glorious sunshine filled years, I’ll just accept this slower paced wool covered version of myself and be grateful for heating pads.

How are you doing this winter? Any strategies, products or ideas that work well for you to lift your mood?

With love,

Steph